The perfect couple
by jesusfreak7777777
Summary: please read and review l/j
1. Default Chapter

I own nothing that you recognize and everything you don't.  


	2. Totenga

            "Lils, are you coming?"  Lily Evans looked up from the newspaper she was reading.

            "No, Jas.  I have to figure out who Lord Voldemort was before he became Lord Voldemort."  Her friend shivered at the name 'Voldemort.'

            "Would you quit saying the name?"  She protested.

            "Fear of the name,"

            "Increases fear of the thing itself," Jas finished.  "I know, I know.  But it does still bother me."

            "Do you really thing that Voldemort is going to appear out of nowhere and kill me because I said his name?  You're really getting paranoid, Jas."  Lily shouted as Jasmine Lender, one of her best friends, was out the door.

            "Maybe you should be."  Came a deep male voice from behind her.  Lily spun around in shock.

            "Oh, Jeff, you scared the hell out of me.  Don't ever do that again."  The pretty red-head berated her boyfriend.

            "Where's Jas off to?"  He inquired once she was finished with her tirade.

            "Shopping.  She thinks she needs new robes."

            "Thinks?"

            "Well, it's not like she outgrows them.  And she can't ever run out of stuff to wear.  Between me, Katie, and her we could run a clothes shop."  Jeff laughed at his girlfriend's attitude.  She hated shopping, but her friends didn't, so she was often dragged along with them.  "Why are you here?"  She inquired.

            "Must I have an excuse to spend time with my favorite girlfriend?  I knew you had the day off and I was hoping we could spen some quality time together."

            "I'm your only girlfriend, Jeff."  She paused at the smirl on his face.  "Aren't I?"  He laughed and she hit him over the head with a stack of papers she had been working on.  The two spent the day laughing and joking.  Lily's former plans went out the window.  Hey, there was always tomorrow.  Lily and Jeff were cooking dinner when Jas came home.

            "That smells good."  Jas said, coming in the door.  "Is Jeff coming for dinner or something?"  Lily only cooked pasta when Jeff was coming.  Her question was answered as she stepped in the door.  "Oh."  Her hyperness appeared out of nowhere.

            "Guess what?  Guess what?  Guess what?"

            "What Jasmine?"  Lily asked.  She despised guessing games.

            "Guess who I ran into in Diagon Alley and spent the day with?"

            "The Boogey Man?"

            "No silly.  The Marauders."  That name brought all activity in the kitchen to a standstill.  Jeff kept glancing uneasily at Lily.  He had heard stories about her and Sirius.  Who hadn't?  Lily ground her teeth.

            "All of them?"

            "No.  Peter wasn't there.  James said they haven't heard from him in a while."

            "What about Black?"

            "He seemed very interested in how you're doing.  Seems to want to give it another go."

            "He can shove that interest up his fat ass.  I'm involved."

            "I'm not finished yet, Lily dearest.  They invited us to the opening of that new club, Totenga.  You and me and Katie.  They need dates."

            "Hold on.  Who's they?  And I have a boyfriend."

            "Remus, Sirius, and James.  You don't have to go with Sirius.  You could go with James or Remus."

            "I hate Potter almost as much as I hate Black."

            "Don't fool yourself, Lily.  You know James was only in on one prank, and it was because you turned his hair green."

            "I was aiming for Black."

            "Doesn't really matter.  Will you go?  Please, please, please?"  Lily turned to Jeff.

            "D'you mind?"  He shook his head.

            "Of course not.  It's the Totenga.  I mean, you have to go.  I tried to get tickets and I got them.  For 1997.  I don't know how they managed opening night tickets, but go.  Have fun."  Lily thanked Jeff profusely.  Their friend Katie Corpell agreed to go and Friday night quickly approached.  Remus, Sirius, and James showed up at precisely eight o'clock.  Katie had been there for three hours, getting ready.  The three girls had been best friends at Hogwarts.  They were all in Gryffindor and did everything together.  Much like the Marauders.  Except they didn't get along with the Marauders.  Well, Lily didn't get along with Sirius so the others thought it best to just not hang out.  It all started when Lily had a huge crush on Sirius.  She knew of his reputation for breaking girls' hearts, but Lily didn't care.  When Sirius asked her to the Yule Ball, Lily was enthralled.  She wasn't so enthralled when he began dancing vulgarly and putting his hands in places where hands shouldn't go.  Lily slapped him.  Hard.  Left a bruise.  She wriggled her way out of detention by claiming self-defense.  So Sirius got a detention for harassing a student.  Sirius was pissed because he had never been rejected before and went to any length to humiliate Lily.  Their hate was mutual and complete.  Nothing could change their minds.  Or so they thought.  

            "Shall we go, my lady?"  Sirius said, offering his arm to Lily.

            "Sod off, Black."  She replied airily and swept past him.  "Remus, how are you?"  He smiled and offered his arm, which she took.

            "Very well, and you?"

            "Could be better," she replied with a wry smile.  The six reluctant friends apparated to just outside the new club.  Jas and Katie immediately began with the 'Do I look alright?  Is my hair still curly?  Will there be any hot, rich, single guys there looking for a girl like me?'  Lily laughed at her friends' shallowocity and followed the boys into the club.  (A/N: I'm not good at describing this so think Saturday Night Fever.)  The dance floor was packed already.  The six friends set off to find a table.  They all sat down and James and Remus went to get drinks.  Sirius seized Jas and they went to the dance floor, a space quickly being cleared for their wild, yet very good, dance moves.  Remus grinned over at Lily.

            "Ya wanna dance?"  He asked.  At least that's what she thought he said.  The music was rather loud.  She nodded her head and he stood up, pulling her with him.  It took Lily a while to get into the way Remus dance, but she eventually got it and they had a great time.  After a few hours, they got tired and headed back to the table.  Their friends were still dancing.

            "So, Lily, are you involved with anybody?"  Remus asked, giving her a meaningful grin.  It was for Sirius.

            "Yes.  A wonderful man name Jeff Masden.  We've been together for two years."

            "Thinking about becoming Mrs. Masden?"

            "That's an awful personal question to ask a girl."  He raised his eyebrows at her.  They had been pretty close friends at first, but when Lily started hating Sirius, she couldn't hang out with Remus anymore.  Lily had been the first person at Hogwarts to find out his secret, and the first to assure him that he would always have a friend in her, no matter what.  Remus had done the same when Lily's parents died and everyone in the school was avoiding her, thinking she had caused their deaths.

            "No.  I just don't love him.  You know what I mean."

            "No , Lils I don't know what you mean.  I've never been in a serious relationship in my life.  Most girls run when they find out."  Lily felt horrible.  She hadn't meant to depress him.

            "I'm sorry, Rana."  Remus looked up at the sound of his old nickname.  They both loved the Lord of the Rings, and when Lily found out, she decided he needed a nickname.  Rana means 'moon' in elfish.  Gaur, the word for werewolf, sounded much too harsh.  He grinned.

            "But it's like you always told me.  Those girls aren't worth my time, right?"

            "Right."  They sat in comfortable silence for a while longer before returning to the dance floor.  They met up with James and Katie and danced as a group until a slow song came on.  Remus looked at Lily, unsure.

            "What the hell."  She muttered to herself as they began to dance.  Halfway through the dance Lily spotted Sirius and Jas making their way out the door, hand in hand and both looking very happy about something.  Lily pointed them out to Remus.

            "Looks like Jas' getting lucky tonight, eh Remus?"  He grinned at her, then frowned.

            "I hope they go to a hotel.  I hate it when Sirius brings girls home."

            "I almost forgot you guys all lived together."

            "Yeah.  Nothing against Jas, you understand."

            "I know how you feel, Rem.  Jas used to bring guys into our dorm all the time at Hogwarts.  If I remember correctly you once visited the lovely lady."  Remus blushed.

            "It wasn't for that.  Sirius wanted the boxers he left there after that one break-up and was scare to get them so he made me go.  It wasn't my fault she was in that kind of mood.  I'm just glad that you saved me.  You said she brought guys into your dorm.  Not your house?"

            "Nope.  I laid down the law.  She goes to their house now.  The only problem being that she keeps leaving her clothes places and she can't go back.  I quote 'What if I left my bra at Jake's house, but thought I left it at Tom's house, but I didn't?  He'd get all mad at me and then I'd have to find a new Friday night fling.'"  She saw the look of disgust on Remus' face.  "Yes, she really does have a different one for every night of the week.  It's quite hard to keep track of all of them."  By now she and Remus had sat back down.

            "I don't know why I'm so surprised.  Sirius is the exact same way with his girls.  They'd make a great couple."

            "Need I remind you, Rana darling, that that's what they are now?  Jas doesn't do one-night-stands and I don't think Black does either.  I have a feeling that this relationship might be going somewhere."

            "So now I'm Rana darling?"  Remus said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.  

            "Shut up."  She replied amicably.  James and Katie joined them a few moments later.

            "Where's Jas?"  Katie asked.

            "Her and Black took off about twenty minutes ago."  Katie grinned.

            "Has our dear Padfoot forgotten about his Lily-Flower?"  James joked.

            "Shut-up Potter.  I'm glad that Black's moved on.  And for heaven's sake you know I hate that nickname."

            "That's why I use it."  Remus grabbed Lily around the waist to keep her from tackling James.  Apparently that put her in a bad mood and she refused to dance anymore.  Remus found a cute blonde and danced with her while Katie found some big dumb Hufflepuff she used to date and James found someone, Lily didn't notice or care who.  When Remus returned an hour later, it was to find several empty glasses and no Lily.  He was worried.  She rarely got drunk, but when she did, she usually did stuff she regretted later.  He had to get her home _now.  After searching for ten minutes, he found her grinding away with a former Slytherin.  She was drunk alright.  He tapped the Slytherin on the shoulder._

            "May I cut in?"  He asked very politely.  The Slytherin took a swing at him.

            "Hey.  I saw her first!"  He was drunk, too.  Remus grabbed Lily's arm.

            "C'mon, Lils, time to go home."  She resisted.

            "Nuh-uh.  Wanna stay here and dance.  Dance with me Remus!"  She yelled, pressing her body against his.  

~*~*~*~*~*

What will he do?  What will she do?  Find out in the next episode of 'Days of out Lives'.  Sorry got carried away for a moment.  I'm kinda liking Remus.  Maybe Lily should get with him.  What do you, the readers think?  Review and tell me and I'll love you forever!


	3. She lost her best friend

Remus' vision went gray, and before he could stop himself, he was dancing with her, moving his body with hers.  A battle raged in his head.          

_-This is wrong, she's your friend and she's drunk.  You shouldn't be doing this._

**-She won't remember anything anyway.__**

****_-That doesn't matter.  She's your friend.  No matter how much you want this, you can't take advantage of her like this._

**-But it's so nice.  One little dance won't hurt.**

_-Who__ are you kidding?  You know yourself.  One dance will lead to another and pretty soon you'll end up doing stuff that friends don't do._

**-Alright, alright you win for now anyway.**

His inner, good self sighed.  This was why he had stopped being friends with the beautiful girl.  She played havoc with his emotions and she didn't even know it.  He carefully led her over to where Katie was dancing.  She went all mothery when she saw Lily.

            "Oh, is she okay?  I can take her home, Remus."  

            "No, she just drank a little too much.  You stay and enjoy yourself.  Would you spend the night at her house tonight?  She doesn't always stay asleep and I don't want her to be there alone in this state."

            "Yeah.  I'll be there in an hour or two."  Remus nodded to show he heard her and went out the door.  Lily was in no state to apparate so Remus flagged down the Knight Bus.  The driver felt sorry for Lily and immediately took them home.  Or maybe he didn't want her getting sick in the Bus.  Whatever it was, Lily was home in a few minutes.  Unfortunately, she didn't seem to want to go to bed.

            "Lily, please just go to bed."  He begged her.  She was literally bouncing off the walls.

            "No, no, no.  Lily wants to stay here with you and play.  Do you know what Lily wants to play?"  He decided to play along.

            "What does Lily want to play?"

            "Lily wants a horsey ride!"  She screeched and jumped on Remus' back.  Remus horseyed Lily over to the couch.

            "Why don't you just go to sleep?  You do remember the last time you were this drunk?"

            "Yeah.  I fleeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwww!" 

            "No, Lily, you fell.  You fell off the Astronomy Tower and James caught you."

            "Stupid Potter.  I was flying.  Just like Snape told me I could.  And I flew right at Potter and scared him."

            "Lily, you jumped off the Astronomy Tower because you were mad at Sirius and very drunk and believed Snape when he said you could fly.  You didn't fly.  I was there.  I watched you fall."  She started to believe him.

            "But Snape told me I could fly."

            "Snape lied.  Just like he always does.  He doesn't like you, Lils.  Remember what he used to call you in school?"

            "Mudblood."  She murmured.

            "He wanted you to die, but Sirius got him back."

            "Black got him back?"  Remus nodded.  "For me?"  He nodded again.  "How?"  Remus started to look uncomfortable.

            "You remember how Snape always used to wonder where I went each month?  Sirius told Snape that he could follow me by pressing the knot on the Whomping Willow.  He would have died if James hadn't pulled him out.  Sirius attempted murder for you, Lils.  He really loved you."  By now Lily was crying into his robes.

            "And 'sob' all that time 'sob' I treated him like 'sob' dirt 'sob, sob, sob'." Remus let her cry out her frustrations.  He knew that she always slept after a good cry, drunk or not.  He tucked her into bed and lightly kissed her forehead goodnight.

            "Night, Lils."

            "Night, Rana."  He smiled as he shut the door.  Jas found him the next morning, curled up on the couch asleep.  Katie never came.  She found a hangover potion simmering in the kitchen, waiting for Lily when she woke up.  Jas crept up to her friend's room.  Lily was a very light sleeper.  Lily was tossing in the bed.  She obviously was having a nightmare.  Jas hurried to her friend and shook her awake.  She sat straight up in bed and screamed.  Jas heard a thump from downstairs and then a pounding on the stairs as Remus ran up.  He paused when he saw Lily sitting there with tears streaming down her face.  She gestured him in and he sat on the other side of her.  She buried her head into Jas' shoulder and Remus gently rubbed her back.  She gradually quieted enough to tell them.

            "It was horrible.  I was older.  Maybe twenty-seven.  I was holding a baby with black hair and green eyes.  I heard yelling and then a thump and I knew the baby's father, whoever he was, was dead.  Then silence.  Voldemort came.  He wanted to kill the baby.  Told me that I could save myself if I just let him kill the baby.  I kept screaming 'No, not Harry.  Take me, kill me instead.'  He just laughed at me.  I pulled out my wand, desperate to protect my child.  Voldemort moved quicker.  He disarmed me and used the Cruciatus.  I was screaming.  It felt like my bones had turned to wax and my muscled to melted butter.  I burned all over.  But I held onto that baby for dear life.  The pain was gone.  Voldemort laughed again and offered me to join him, to be his queen.  I spit on his face and ran.  Voldemort sent a few curses after me, but I dodged them, still holding the baby.  I made it into some sort of forest and tried to hide, but the baby was crying.  Voldemort found me and dragged me back into the house.  A man with black hair was lying facedown on the floor, dead.  Voldemort told me to run.  I refused.  He used Imperio, but I resisted it.  Then there was green light and I woke up."  Jas was crying and Remus was staring at her in shock.

            "D'you think it could happen?"  He asked gently.

            "Rem, anything could happen.  I'm not afraid of dying, if that's what you mean.  I just wish the baby hadn't had to.  And the man.  I would like to know who he was."  Remus stared out the window.  Dark hair.  Remus was a blonde.  He stroked her back soothingly.

            "Maybe it's just a nightmare, Lils."

            "I hope so, Rem."  She replied.  "Now get out of here.  I have to get dressed."  He smiled reassuringly at her and went downstairs to make breakfast.  Jeff showed up while Remus was in the kitchen and Lily and Jas were still upstairs.  He surprised Remus.

            "What are you doing here?"  Jeff asked.  "And who are you?"  He added as an afterthought.  Remus coolly looked Jeff up and down.

            "I could ask you the same thing."  Jeff looked like he didn't know what to say.

            "Are you one of Jas'?"  He finally demanded.

            "No.  I'm Lily's."  Jeff raised his fist.

            "Did you know she has a boyfriend?"  Remus realized who this was.

            "Oh, you must be Jeff.  I'm Lily's friend, Remus.  Could you keep your voice down?  She's got a pretty bad hangover and it's not wise to piss her off while she's in this kind of mood."  This only seemed to anger Jeff.

            "Who the hell do you think you are?"  He bellowed.  "I know her a hell of a lot better than you do.  She's my girlfriend.  She doesn't get drunk and she's never had a bad mood in her life."  Enter Lily.  She was so angry she could scarcely speak.

            "For your information, my loving boyfriend, I do get in bad moods.  But you wouldn't know about them because you don't know me.  I do get drunk every now and again and you wouldn't know that because you don't know me.  Remus is one of my best friends and you have no right to speak to him like that.  Get out of my house."  She growled the last bit low in her throat.  Jeff looked like he was about to protest, but Remus stood up next to Lily, wand in hand and visible.  He gulped and disapparated.  For a second, Lily looked like she was going to collapse in tears.  

            "Waffles?"  Remus asked, shoving a plate under her nose, grinning.  She grinned back at him and took them.  He poured her a gobletful of hangover potion, which she drank gratefully.  Remus left shortly after Katie showed up with many apologies about why she didn't come the night before.  It seems she ran into an old friend of hers and spent the night at his place because she was too wasted to make it to Lily's.  Remus groaned as he sank down onto his own bed, only to jump up again quickly.  Sirius was lying in his bed.  Remus was about to move him when he realized what had happened and left the room.  He stuck his head in James' room.  James was asleep still, snoring away.  Remus refused to sleep in Sirius' bed because who knew what went on in there, and bunked on the couch.  He was sat on two hours later by James.  Remus sat up and watched James stuff his face for a while.  He finished and turned to Remus.

            "You never came home last night."  He said with a sly grin on his face.  Remus ignored it.

            "I had to take Lily home.  She was almost as drunk as that night in 6th year."  James was silent for a moment, remembering that horrible incident.

            "You stayed there all night."  He pushed.

            "Katie never showed up and I didn't want Lily doing anything stupid."

            "Sure you didn't."

            "Shut up James.  Lily's my friend."

            "And I believe you.  But word on the street is that she dumped Jeff for you."

            "How could word be out that fast?  I was there when she dumped him two hours ago and you just woke up."

            "Got an owl from Gerry who heard from Lisa who heard it from Katie who heard it from Jas."  James explained.  "Gerry knew Sirius had always been after Lily."

            "Not after last night."  Remus pointed out.  "He always said that Jas was good, but he couldn't put up with all that energy.  I think it's a load of crock.  Sirius is just scared of committing and he knows he'd fall in love with Jas if he let himself."

            "So I can take a shot at Lily?"  James wanted to know.  Remus glanced at him.

            "Sure.  If she'll have you.  She's picky."

            "I was Head Boy."  James countered.

            "You hung out with Sirius."

            "So do you." 

            "I never pulled a prank on her."  James was silent for a while.

            "I saved her life."

            "She barely remembers it.  And she still thinks she jumped on your broom, not that you caught her."  Their conversation was interrupted by Sirius stumbling downstairs, wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

            "Lily dumped Jeff?"  He asked, incredulous.

            "Yeah, and Prongsie-boy is gonna give it a go with her."  Remus affirmed.

            "Good luck."  Sirius replied.  Remus tuned out as Sirius gave a detailed description of the previous night.  

            Lily also tuned out as she got a description of the previous night's activities, only from Jas.  Her thoughts drifted to what Remus had told her the night before.  She had always hated Sirius after that night.  Why?  So he played a few pranks on her, publicly humiliated her.  That's what she did to him.  Humiliated him in front of the whole school.  And James?  He saved her life that night.  She knew it, oh how she knew it.  She felt it every day when she looked at Jeff and wondered if he would ever save her like James did.

            "Lily?"  She jerked back to the present.  "What's up, girl.  You look like you just lost your best friend."  Lily looked sadly at Katie.

            "I may have, Kate."  She said and disapparated.


	4. News

"Lily?"  She jerked back to the present.  "What's up, girl.  You look like you just lost your best friend."  Lily looked sadly at Katie.

            "I may have, Kate."  She said and disapparated.  Her two friends just stared at the place Lily had been standing.  Then they looked at each other and shrugged.  If Lily didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be found.  It was probably just about Jeff, anyway.  Remus was jerked back to the present as someone knocked on the door.  He got up and answered it.  It was Lily.

            "Is he here?"  she asked.  Remus knew who she meant.  He nodded.

            "In the living room."  He wasn't going to ask how she knew where they lived.  Lily had many connections in the Ministry.  Lily stopped, uncertain, in the doorway.  James was sitting on the floor, facing her.  Sirius had been standing with his back to the doorway, but when he saw James looking at something, he turned around.  His eyes met Lily's and they shared perhaps their first moment of understanding.  She walked into the room, now sure of what she was doing, and collapsed at his feet, crying.  Sirius just stood there for a moment, uncomfortable, and then he bent down and gathered her in his arms and cried with her.  Sirius Black cried.  No one had ever seen him cry.  Not when Gryffindor lost the Quidditch Cup to Slytherin, not when he found his brutally murdered parents' bodies.  Nothing.  Except this poor girl apologizing, trying to make up for all the time she had misjudged him and mistreated him.  James quietly got up and left, dragging Remus with him.  Sirius pulled Lily up and they sank onto the vacant couch.  Her sobs quieted and they just sat there, content, understanding.

            "Does this mean you're no longer averse to sharing my bed?"  Sirius joked.  Lily playfully slapped him.

            "As long as Remus can be in it, too."  She replied.  Two could play at that game.

            "Why stop there?  Let's add James into the mix as well." 

            "What about me?"  James asked, entering the room.

            "And we can all enjoy ourselves in the midst of a giant chalupa."  

            "A chalupa?"  Sirius asked incredulously. 

            "What is going on?"  Remus asked as he came into the room bearing bottles of butterbeer.  He tossed one to each of his friends.  James snatched Lily's in midair, opened it, and handed it to her, grinning like a madman.  She gave him a soft smile back.

            "Oh, we're just all going to have a wild foursome in a giant chalupa."  Sirius replied nonchalantly.  Remus choked on his butterbeer and Lily hit him hard on the back.  The beer went everywhere.  Soon, all four of them were laughing on the floor, unable to move.  Lily was the first one to calm down.  She reached for her wand and cleaned up the mess with a simple charm.  She smiled sympathetically at her friends still laughing on the floor.

            "I'm going home now.  You guys can stop by later if you want."  She disapparated.

            "Oh my gosh, Lily, where have you been?"  Lily sighed and prepared herself to be interrogated thoroughly.  Her friends seemed happy when she told them that they and the Marauders were now friends.  They seemed ecstatic when James stopped by and asked the three of them to a party at their place later on.  The party was fun for some.  Lily saw people she hadn't seen since she left Hogwarts.  No Slytherins, though.  Men kept trying to help Lily with anything she tried to do.  She felt suffocated.  See, Lily was a good girl.  The kind of girl these men wanted to show their mothers and marry when they were ready to settle down.  That's why she contrasted so greatly with her friends.  They were a good time, and she was a quiet, let's go to the opera time.  She sat on a chair in the living room, surrounded by adoring men and hating every moment of it.  Sirius and Jas had gone upstairs a while ago, and Remus was nowhere in sight.

            "Would you like to dance with me, Lily?"  Simpered a blonde named Jason.  Lily was about to gracefully turn him down when a male spoke from behind her.

            "Actually, she promised this dance to me."  It was James.  Lily smiled gratefully at him as he led her to the room where people were dancing.  Lily had been itching to dance, but couldn't dance with the others because they would think she meant something by it.

            "Thanks," Lily said as they started to dance.

            "No problem.  You looked like you needed some help."  Lily flashed him another grateful smile.  James started noticing little things about Lily that he really liked.  Her smile, for one.  She could brighten a room with that grin.  The way she danced.  Very well, not too close, but not so far that it could be denied that she was dancing with him.

            "May I cut in?"  Asked Remus, tapping James on the shoulder.  James shot a glare at his friend, but as he left, Moony slipped a piece of parchment into his hand.  James felt that this was slightly more important than just a dance with Lily.  Making his excuses to a few drunk girls who wanted to join him, he made his way up to his room.  He checked every corner of the room twice over before sitting on the ground and unrolling the parchment.  It was blank.  Moony moved onto the parchment.

            "Think like a map."  The picture said.  James grinned.  His friend was a genius.

            "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."  James said, tapping the parchment. Moony began talking quickly in a low voice.

            "I've found out who Voldemort was.  He went to Hogwarts.  Prefect, Head-Boy, in Slytherin.  He is supposedly the Heir of Slytherin.  His muggle father abandoned his mother when he found out she was a witch.  The mother named him Tom Marvolo Riddle.  Raised in a muggle orphanage.  He got an award for special services to the school the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened.  It was said he got the award for capturing the Heir, the only one able to open the Chamber and control the horror within, and closing the Chamber.  Hagrid was expelled that same year.  You and I both know there is no way in hell Hagrid would kill a student.  Riddle probably framed him.  If you rearrange the letters of his name, it spells out 'I am Lord Voldemort.'  Meet me at the place on the night before.  This message will self-destruct in 10 seconds."  The picture grinned.  "I've always wanted to say that."  The parchment burst into flame and burned to ashes in James' hand.  The flames weren't hot.  The night before, well that would be the night before the full moon.  The place?  Wherever Moony went to transform these days.  James could always ask him without giving much away.  James went downstairs to find that all except the Marauders and the girls were gone.  The five of them were listlessly wandering around, cleaning up.  Remus raised his eyebrows and James nodded slightly to show that he got the message.  He helped them clean up and said good-bye to the girls.  James walked Remus to the door.

            "Say, Moony.  Where are you transforming these days."  Remus nodded, almost as if to say, right on.

            "Dumbledore lets me use the Shrieking Shack."  James nodded.  

            "See you later."  

            "Bye."  James shut the door firmly behind his friend.


	5. Shack Part 1

James Apparated near the Shrieking Shack the night before the full moon.  He crept onto Hogwart's grounds and through the Willow into the Shack.  He emerged from the trapdoor.  He heard a shuffling from upstairs and headed up the rickety staircase.  Remus and Sirius were deep in discussion.  They looked up and nodded at him as he entered.  James did his usual thing and explored every corner of the room before taking a seat on the wooden floor.  James was weird like that.  He was paranoid and obsessive-compulsive.  He always checked every corner of every room he entered.  He didn't use furniture unless absolutely necessary.  His two friends turned to him.

            "I sent Peter an owl, but I don't know if he'll be coming.  Dumbledore should be here soon and he said he's bringing a promising young Auror who's been working on defeating Voldemort since he graduated."  Remus told him.  James nodded to show he got the message and began a sort of meditation.  He expanded his awareness.  He traveled out of the shack and up to the school.  Dumbledore was leaving his office.  James couldn't quite see who was behind him.  Dumbledore muttered something to the dark figure who said something else.  They were joined by yet another figure at the main door.  James saw this person clearly and gritted his teeth.  Snape.  The figure behind Dumbledore shrank back from both Snape's handshake and Snape's 'friendly' smile.  James happily realized who the other person was.  His mind zoomed back to his body.

            "It's Lily!"  He exclaimed to his friends.  They laughed at his zeal.  "And Snape."  He finally added.  That sobered the other two considerably.  

            "Does he want someone to die tonight?"  Remus asked, breaking the silence.  

            "Probably."  Sirius answered through gritted teeth.  The trap door creaked open.

            "Allow me to help you there, Ms. Evans."  They heard Snape say.  Every muscle in Sirius' body tensed.  James laid a restraining hand on his shoulder as they heard Lily reply.

            "No thank you, Mr. Snape.  I'm perfectly capable myself."  Lily was being very formal, a sure sign she was pissed.

            "I wasn't implying that you weren't, Ms. Evans.  I'm sure a top-grade Auror like yourself can take care of herself.  The boys could almost hear her reply to that, although she didn't say anything out loud.

            'And I'm sure a top-grade Death Eater like yourself would be perfectly happy to kill an Auror like me.  Oh wait, you already tried that.'  They were laughing when the three newcomers entered the room.  Sirius couldn't wait to start the fighting.

            "This house bring back deadly memories, Grease-ball?"  The other four young people chuckled at his behaviour.  It was even funnier when Sirius stood up and went over to Lily.  He took her hand in his.

            "Such a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Evans."  He said demurely, lightly kissing her hand.  He was mocking Snape, and doing an excellent job.  Lily decided to play along.

            "Ah, yes, Mr. Black.  I do admit, our last meeting was not under such pleasant circumstances."  The two gave each other looks of such (fake) passion that Snape was almost forced to ask.

            "What circumstances?"  Lily gave him a look of haughty disdain.

            "Not that it is any of your business, but I found Mr. Black here in a very compromising position with my best friend."

            "It was an excellent row."  Remus chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.

            "Are you implying that you and Mr. Black are seeing each other?"  Snape asked Lily, incredulous.  She smiled broadly.

            "Mr. Snape, I'm not implying it, I'm saying it."  Dumbledore decided to put an end to it there.

            "We are not here to discuss Ms. Evans' love life, as interesting as that might be."  He conjured up comfy chairs and a conference table.

            "Then what are we here to discuss, Sir?"  James asked.

            "Excellent question, James.  But first, anyone care for a starburst?"  He asked, pulling out a bag of muggle candy.  Snape looked disdainfully at them, he detested everything muggle, except Lily, of course.  She jumped up immediately.

            "Thank you, Professor.  They're my favorite!"  She exclaimed.  Dumbledore tossed a few at her and she eagerly snatched them up.  The three Marauders that were present agreed to try.

            "You wanna see something cool?"  Lily asked.  They all nodded.  She popped the candy into her mouth, wrapper and all.  They could see her teeth and tongue working for about ten seconds before she reached into her mouth and pulled the wrapper out and chewed the candy.

            "Super choette!"  Yelled Sirius.  "Je veux apprendre!"  They knew he really liked it.  Sirius only ever spoke in French if he really liked something.  

            "D'accord."  Agreed Lily and Sirius grinned.

            "Enough," Dumbledore commanded, tired of their foolishness.  "You are here to face the rising threat of Voldemort.  (A/N Did that remind anyone of Elrond's speech at Rivendell?  I didn't mean for it to.  It just came out that way.)  He has been gathering followers since you were in school here.  Even before that, but he wasn't as dangerous then."

            "What makes him so dangerous now?"  Sirius interrupted.  Snape answered.

            "This," he said, pulling up his sleeve.  On his left forearm was a tattoo of a snake coming out of the mouth of a skull.  "It's called a Dark Mark.  With it he can control most of his followers.  He can call them to him, inflict pain on them even if they are far away.  He sends a green projection of it into the sky after he makes a kill."  They all fell silent.

            "You wear one," accused Remus.  Snape nodded.

            "But I am not a loyal follower.  My parents pressured me into it.  I became a spy."

            "A rather good one, too," Dumbledore added.  Snape turned red.  Was he blushing?

            "I thought you said moldy-Voldie uses the Mark to control his followers.  How are you not controlled?  Maybe you are being controlled and you don't know it.  Or you're fooling us and getting information to the evil bastard."  The men stared at Lily.

            "Moldy-Voldie?"  James asked wonderingly.

            "Did that even make sense?"  Remus thought aloud.  Sirius put his arm around her shoulders.

            "She takes after me," he proclaimed proudly.  Lily was about to shrug off his arm and make some witty comment at him, but remembered the act they were putting on for Snape and held her tongue.  Snape frowned at them and answered Lily's question.

            "I happen to have a particularly strong will," he stated simply.  The other four young people looked at Dumbledore.

            "Severus has my trust," was all he said.  They looked at each other, still not sure.  Then Lily nodded.  She believed them.  Remus followed her lead, then James a little reluctantly.  They looked at Sirius expectantly.

            "Everyone here must trust everyone else explicitly.  If you have a problem I suggest you leave," Dumbledore stated, loud and clear.  Sirius stood up.  


End file.
